Slider for separable fasteners



Fil ed Aug. 30, 1939 IIIL ul lnnm E INVENTOR F055??? 0'.- 5

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE SLIDER FOR SEPARABLE FASTENERS The G. E. Prentice Mfg. a corporation of Connec .tobert C. Legat, New Britain,

Conn., assignor to 00., New Britain, C'onn.,

ticut ApplicationAugust so, 1939, Serial No. 292,550 3- Claims. (01. 24-205) This invention relates to sliders for separable fasteners and has for its object the provision of a slider which will stay in the position in which it is brought to rest on the fastener and will not shift in the opening direction when the fabric tapes or stringers of the fastener are subjected to a lateral pull tending to spread them apart at their free ends or in the locality of the slider beyond the point where the interlocking elements of the fastener are interlocked.

The usual slider for a separable fastener of the slide operated type comprises a pair of spaced plates which are widened at one end and are connected at the center of the widened end by a substantially triangularly-shaped member which is positioned between such plates. The side edges of the plates are provided with short opposed guide flanges which together with the tn'angularly-shaped member form a Y-shaped channel between the plates for receiving the interlocking elements as the slider is moved longitudinally of the fastener. When the slider is moved in the closing direction, the elements of the stringers enter the two angularly-disposed arms of the Y-shaped channel and are guided into interlocking relation as they pass from such arms of the channel into the central leg thereof at the narrow portion of the slider. Conversely when the slider is moved in the opposite or opening direction; the elements are caused to become unlocked as they pass from the central leg of the channel into the angularly disposed arms thereof. It is a well known fact that a slider of this type can also be moved. in the opening direction by a lateral pull on the disengaged portions of the stringers above the slider. This is probably due to the fact that the sliders heretofore made have been so designed that when the stringers are spread undera lateral pull, the rear ends of the elements are enabled to engage theinterior surfaces of the portions of the flanges forming the arms of the Y-shaped channel and thereby to exert a camming action on such portions such as to force the slider in the opening direction. To overcome this tendency of a slider to move in the opening direction when the stringers are ,under stress, various locking means have been devised, such as, movable detents which are either actuated manually or by spring members or by gravity and rigid detents which are formedon the slider body so that they come into interlocking engagement withthe elements when the latter are displaced from their normal paths of movement by the laterally applied forces. The provision of these detents, however, necessitates elements of each row are additional manufacturing operations and/or addi-. tional parts thereby increasing the cost of manufacture of the ordinary standard type of slider. Furthermore the rigid type of detent has with the exception of a few cases proven unsatisfactory 5 because while it prevents the free movement of the slidervin the opening direction under the application of lateral forces, it does notprevent the slider from creeping in such direction during usage of the fastener and wears off or becomes ineffective in time because of the frictional engagement of the' interlocking elements in their passage through the slider.

In the slider of this invention there are no additional means such as has heretofore been provided for preventing the unintended, self-actuated movement of the slider but the several parts which constitute the basic form of the slider are so designed that the slider will become automatically and reliably locked against movement in the opening direction under lateral forces applied to the stringers above the slider. A better understanding of the invention as well as the novel details of construction thereof will be obtained from thefollowing description whenread in con nectionwith the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is aplan view of a portion of a separable fastener provided with .a slider embodying the invention, the slider being shown in longitudinal section and the stringers of'the fastener being unstrained so that the elements attached thereto pursue their normal paths of movement through the slider; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the slider shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the relative positions of the elements within the slider under lateral stresses applied to the' portions of the string.- ersabove the slider; Fig. 4 is a side View of the sliderillustrated in Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a separable fastener provided 40 with a modified form of slider made in accordance with the invention and Fig. 6 is aicentral longitudinal sectional view of the slider shown in Fig. 5.

In the several views of the drawing, the reference characters l0 and II designate the stringers of the fastenerstrucnure which are usually constituted of fabric and are reinforced along their opened edges to provide a satisfactory grip for the rows of interlocking elements 12 and I3 clamped to such edges. As is customary, the staggered with relation to' the elements in the other row so that the elements of both rows may be successively brought together and progressively interlocked by means of a slider which in Figs. 1 to 4, is generally designated by the numeral I4. Also as is customary, the slider I4 in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a pair of spaced top and bottom wings or plates l5 and I6,

' 5 respectively, connected by an integral wedging and spacing member I1 of substantially triangular shape in the regionbetween the plates I5 and IS. The member IT projects through an opening in the top plate I5 and extends rearwardly of the slider to form a lug I8 to which is connected a pull member I9 which is manually actuated to move the slider longitudinally of the fastener along the rows of elements. The lateral edges of the slider wings I5 and I6 are bent inwardly to provide the guide flanges and 2| on opposite sides of the slider and these flanges form together with the wedging portion H, a channel having diverging arm portions 22 and 23 and a central leg portion 24 positioned at the narrow end of the slider and 20 connected with the inner ends of the diverging arm portions 22 and 23. The portions 25 of the flanges 20 and 2| which form the leg portion 24 of the channel are disposed in substantially parallel relation and extend from the narrow end ofthe 25 slider towards the widened or front end thereof to the points 2'! a distance of approximately onethird the longitudinal length of the slider. From the points 21 which are below the pointed end or apex of the triangularly-shaped separating or spacing member H, the flanges 20 and 2| diverge outwardly to provide the portions 26 in the body of the slider which form the outer sides of the diverging arm portions 22 and 23 of the channel.

In accordance with the invention, the portions 26 of the flanges 20 and 2|, which at the points 21 are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the, widths of the two rows of elements I2 and I3, in the latters interlocked condition, bend outwardly and upwardly in oppo-' site directions from such points 21 to terminate at their outer ends at points 28 which are positioned substantially in line with the outer ends of the side camming surfaces of the triangularly-shaped member I'I. Throughout its entire length each flange portion 26 is spaced from the member II a suflicient distance to enable the elements to pass therebetween with ease and is preferably formed so that the inner half thereof, -i. e., that half which starts from the point 21, is arcuately-shaped while the forward half thereof in the region of the longitudinal portion of the slider occupied by the separating member [1, is straight and in'parallelism' with the portion 25 of the flange of which it forms a part. Intermediate the singularly-disposed side camming face of the member l1 and the flange portion '26 the space is substantially greater than the length of an interlocking element while betweenthe straight" longitudinally extending side camming face at the forward or outer end of the member I! and the part of the straight section ofthe flange portion 26 opposing such face and at the outer end of such flange portion 26, at the point 28, the width of the 5 channel is only slightly greater than the length of an interlocking element. The form of the flange portions 26 is such that-a straight line 29-29 (see Fig. 2) drawn from the point 2! of one flange to the point 28 at the outer end thereof, will not intersect or cross any-intermediate part of the interior surface of such portion 26 and is so disposed with respect to the member II, that the space between such line and the apex 30 u and a portion of the side camming surface of the member I! is less than the length of the elements attached to the stringers. Thus any lateral force applied to a stringer above the slider tending to straighten the portion thereof between the points 21 and 28 willmove the outer interlocking ends of the elements into engagement with the triangularly-shaped separating member II.

It will now be observed from Fig. l of the drawing, that during normal operation of the fastener the rows of fastener elements I2 and I3 enter into the spaces between the separating member H and the portions 26 of the flanges forming the diverging arms of the channel atv the wide end of the slider, as the slider is moved toward the unlocked portions of the fastener, and are brought together and guided into interlocked engagement as they pass into the leg portion of the channel in the narrow part of the slider towards the open end. Movement of the slider in the opposite direction causes the flexible material of the stringers to which the interlocked fastener elements are attached to give way and to be bent laterally separating the interlocking portions of the locked fastener elements and permitting the fastener elements of each of the two stringers to pass through the arms of the channel on opposite'sides of the separating member I1. During these movements of the slider in either the opening or closing directions the passage of the elements through the channels is in no way interfered with, the diverging arms of the channel being sufliciently wide to, allow the elements to pass therethrough freely and permitting free movement of the slider with relation to such elements. Now assuming the fastener to be closed or in a partially closed condition and a lateral pull applied to the stringers above the slider, the lateral forces exerted on the stringers will cause the portions of the reinforced edges thereof within the slider and between the points 21 and 28, to tend to straighten out, thereby moving the interlocking ends of the fastener elements carried on such portions into engagement with the separating member H. The straightening of the portions of the reinforced edges of the stringers between the points 21 and 28 will under the'applied lateral forces jam the interlocking ends of the elements against the angularly-disposed side camming faces of the member I! and the end of at least one of the elements will engage in a jamming relationship with the apex of the member I! as is shown in Fig. 3. This jamming action is carried down into the leg 24 of the channel by the engaged ends of the elements so that any movement of such elements toward the diverging arms 22 and 23 of the channel is obstructed, thereby preventing movement of the slider in the opening direction or toward the interlocked portion of the fastener. The greater the ateral force that is exerted on the stringers tending to separate them, the more securely and positively will the slider be locked or obstructed against movement in the opening direction.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the portions of the flanges forming the diverging arms of the channel are formed so as to permit the slider to be shifted in either direction by a force applied-to the pull in a longitudinal direction during the normal operation of the slider, the fastener elements being simply cammed'by the separating member I'I into the arm portions of the channel which are sufliciently wide to permit of free movement of the elements through such portions of the channel. On the other hand the. flanges in the region of'such arm portions of the channel are so designed that when a lateral pull is applied to the stringers above the slider the latter will be effectively locked against movement and the greater the strain on the stringers the more positive will be the locking effect.

It will be evident from the foregoing thatthis invention provides a very simple and effective locking means which does not require the addition of locking detents of any sort, which requires no change in the methods and machines now used for making fastener sliders and which can be made at no extra cost ,to the manufacturer. I

While I have hereinabove specifically described the preferred embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purposes of illustration and descriptionand that various other forms and/or modifications may be devised which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention. For example, instead of forming the slider as is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the slider may be constructed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment of the invention, there are two separate plates which are similar in form and which are provided on their interior surfaces with Y-shaped grooves'which form the channel for the interlocking elements of the separable fastener. As is shown in Fig. 6, the groove in the interior surface of each plate is formed so that the spaced arms 35 and 36 thereof sweep into the central leg 31 thereby eliminating any sharply defined shoulders, as at the points .21

in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, and forming a boat-shaped central portion 38. In the assembled condition of the plates, the central portions 38 thereof engage one another and together form a separating member adapted to disengage the interlocking elements; when the slider is moved in the opening direction on the fastener. The edge portions 39 and 40 of the plates are slightly lower-than the central portions 38 thereof so that in the assembled condition of the parts such edge portions are spaced suificiently to enable the fabric of the stringers to pass freely therebetween inthe movements of the slider. The plates are secured together y a rivet 4| which passes through the central rtions 3B of both plates and is provided at one end witha circular head 42 which is spaced from theouter surface of the adjacent plate. Rotatably mounted on the rivet 4| intermediate the head 42 and the adjacent plate is a swivel member 43 to which is attached a pull chain 44. Movement of the plates relative to each other about the rivet 4| is prevented by any suitable means as by a rivet 45 which extends through the-outer ends of'the cen-, tral portions 38 of the plates, thereby maintaining the Y-shaped grooves in alignment. Like the previously described embodiment of the invention, the slider illustrated in Figs.'5 and 6 can be moved readily on the rows of fastener elements of the fastener structure in the normal operation of the latter. should a lateral pull, however, be exerted on the stringers above the slider, the elements will jam against the separating-member Fig. 6 that the forward ends of the outer edge portions of the channel terminate short of the forward end of the central portions 38 which form the separating member instead of extending forward to the front edge of the separating member as is the case in the previously described embodiment. The forward ends, however, are sufficiently spaced from the leg of the channel to enable the jamming action to take place between the elements and the separating member under lateral stresses applied to the stringers above the slider.

I claim:

1. A slider for a separable fastener of the type which includes a pair of stringers provided with interlocking fastener means along their opposed edges, comprising a body portion having a Y- shaped channel therein for receiving the fastener elements, an internal separating means intermediate. the diverging arms of said channel and having side surfaces forming the inner walls of such channel arms and adapted to separate the fastener elements of the stringers in the movement of the slider relative to such elements in the opening direction, and fastener element jamming means provided on the inner terminal end of said separating means and positioned at the'junction of such channel arms and lying in the path of the engaged ends of the fastener elements in their passage through the central leg of the channel towards said separating means, one of the outer side walls of said channel having two longitudinally separated surface portions and an intermediate connecting portion spaced from a straight line connecting such portions, said line lying between said intermediate portion and said jamming means, the substantially normal distance between said line and said jamming means being less than the length of one of the fastener elements, whereby when a lateral pull is exerted on the fastener above the slider tending to straighten the part of the stringer between the spaced portions of said wall, the outer end of a fastener element will engage with said jamming means to prevent movement of the slider in the opening direction. 1

2. A slider for a separable fastener of the type which includes a pair of stringers provided with interlocking fastener means along their opposed edges, comprising a body portion having a= branched channel therein for receiving the fastener elements, the outer side wall of one of the line connecting such portions, a rigid member spaced from said wall on theopposite side of said line and having a jamming surface portion,

at the junction of the diverging arms of said channel and disposed in opposed relation to the travel of thev fasteners through the central leg of the channel in one direction and being positioned in the slider intermediate the transverse sections thereof containing the spaced portions of said wall, said surface portion of the rigid member being Spaced from said wall at a distance greater than the length of the fastener elements and be-.

ing spaced in a direction substantially normal to the straight line connecting said portions of the wall at a distance, not greater than the length of 1 the fastener elements, whereby when a lateral pull is exerted on the fastener above the slider tending to straighten the part of the stringer between such spaced portions of said wall, the outer end of a fastener element will engage with said jamming surface portion of the rigid member to prevent movement of the slider in the opening direction.

3. A slider for a separable fastener of the type which includes a pair of stringers provided with interlocking fastener means along their opposed edges, comprising a body portion having a Y- shaped channel therein for receiving the fastener elements, an internal separating means intermediate the diverging arms of said channel and having a. substantially wedge-shaped inner end, the inner terminal end of said separating means forming the junction of said channel arms and lying in-the path of the engaged ends of the fastener elements in their passage through the central leg of the channel towards said separating means, the inner ends of each of the outer walls of said channel arms being spaced from the outer end of the central leg of the channel at a distance less than the distance of the terminal end of theseparating means therefrom and each of the outer walls of said channel arms having an intermediate portion connecting the longitudinally separated inner and outer ends thereof and spaced from a straight line connecting such e'nds, said line lying between such intermediate portion of the wall and the inner terminal end of ROBERT C. .LEGAT. 

